Refrigerator



31, 1931. I A, K ER 1,798,684

REFRIGERATOR Filed Oct. 13, 1925, 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 AAKucher WITNESS INVENTOR i/g i M. a, 1' BY W ATTORNEY March 31, 1931. KUHER 1,798,684

REFRIGERATOR Filed Oct. 13, 1925 2 Sheets-sheet 2 I M I' T R; w I I 7 Ru AAKucher WITNE INVENTOR W "i7!" A'ITORNEY I Patented -Mu-. 3i, 1931- uuireo fslrarss.

.PAJ-ENTTOFFICE annnnwa. Keenan; or oirns'rnn, rnnnsnvmm, same: To wnsrmenousn ELECTRIC a'imnuracrunme COM PA NY; 'A conrorwrron or rmmsnvanm' BErRIeERAroR 1 Application filed October 13, 1925. Serial No. 82,276.

has for an object to provide apparatus of the character designated whichshall operate reliably, quietly andefliciently. It has for a further object to provide a refrigerating machine which shall be compactly arranged and which'shall have its entirecompression' mechanism hermetically sealed within aunitary structure to preventcscape of the working fluid.

These and other objects, which will be made apparent throughout the further description of my invention, may'be attained,

' .by the employment of the apparatus hereinafter descri ed and illustrated in the ac companying drawings -in which Fig.1 is a view, partly in section and partly in eleva-' tion, of one form of refrigerator arranged in accordance with my invention and Fig. 2 is a partial view, in elevation, of the-refrigerator shown in Fig. 1. 3

Briefly speaking, my invention comprises a refrigerating machine in whichthehom pression mechanism, consistingof acompressor driven by an electric motor, is entirely enclosed within a hermetically sealed chamher. Such an arrangement avoids the necessity of providing a stuiiing box'for the shaft pressor so that a very compact and syinnietconnecting the ,motor and the compressor, prevents any escape of the working fluid and effectively mufiies any operating noises which may be created by the compressor or the motor. In addition, I locate the condensing element concentrically about the chamber.

which encloses both the motor and the comrical arrangement of the entire high pressure portion of the machine, that is, the portion generally located outside of therefrige" erator box, is-provided. Such 'a' form of refrigerating machine occupies a minimum amount of space consistent with its capacity,

- a very desirable feature in household refrigerating machines. The cooling element, or

evaporator may be one of many well known forms and may be preferably located in the refrigerator box beneath the compression Rasuw chamber and directly connected thereto. The

above'features, together with numerous other :well adapted for domestic installation and for effective 0 eration under the exacting. requirements 0 household 'use.

Referring to the drawings for a more detailed description of my invention, 1 show, in Fig. 1, a portion of a refrigeratorbox 10 upon whichis mounted the compression and condensing mechanisms with the coolingelement located within the box. The compression mechanism comprises a compressor -11 which is directly connected through a shaft 12 to a motor 13 for driving the same. While I have shown a rotary form of compressor, it is to be understood that I may readily employ a compressor of the reciprocatingtype or anyone of numerous other forms of compressors such as are generally employed in refrigeratingmachines. Furthermore,while- I have directly connected the motor to the I compressor, which arrangement is the most compact procurable, I may readily provide means foralteringthespeed of the compressor relative to the motor. Both the motor and the compressor are disposed within a is provided atits respective ends with re movable cover plates 15 and 16. t

' The shaft-12 is supported at its 'lowerend in a bearing l7.pi'ovided in the lower cover plate 16aiid is supportedatits upper end in a bearing 18 provided in thercompressor. An

intermediate bearing l 9is provided for the shaft which bearingis carried in a wall member 21 fixed in; the compression chamber. This wall member divides the compression, chamber into what may be termed a lubricant reoeptacle-22and a motor housing 23, the lubricant receptacle containing the compressor and the motor housing the motor.

- The compressor discharges through a conexitfendof t e conduit'beingmrranged in duit 24iinto he lubricant receptacle 22, the

closely spaced relation with the upper cover plate 1.5 so that fluid discharged from the nnpingedthereon. Theexitend 25 of the discharge conduit is preferably located above the level of the lubricating fluid contained in the receptacle, the normal level of the lubricating fluid in the receptacle being indicated at 26. An overflow conduit 30. is provided for the rec ptaele 22. Provided in the upper portion o the lubricant receptacle'is an outlet 27,for the discharge of reiriger'ant vapor and interposed between the permit air to pass discharge conduit 24 and the outlet '27 is a baflie 28. a t

Theoutlet 27 is connected to a condensing coil 29 which is preferably wound about the cgilmpression chamber 14 as shown in Fig. 2. T e lower portion 'of the coil communicates with the overflow conduit 30. Cooling water for absorbing the heat of condensation is supplied through an inlet 32 .to a water coil 33 which is arranged concentrically within the condensing coil 29, the water being. discharged from the coil through. an outlet 34..

While I have shown a condenser in the form of a coil wound helically about the compression chamber, nevertheless, it is to be understoodthat I may employ any one of many well known forms of condensers or heat exchanging devices adapted to encircle the compression chamber. Furthermore, while I have shown a condenser which utilizes water as-a cooling medium, it is apparent that I' may dispense with the water connections and over the condensing coil and absorb the necessary heat of condensation in this way.

The condensin conduit 35 whic frigerator box and which connects with a evaporator,

For removing refrigerant fluid from the an outlet conduit 44 is rovided within the evaporator which conduit has its in the outlet conduit 44, at a point belowentrant portion 45 located above the liquid level and is so formed as to have a portion extending below the liquid level. Provided the liquid level 43, is an aperture or small 0 ning 46-for permitting a restricted flow 0 liquid from the sur e tank 111130 the conduit. The outlet conduit 44 of the evaporator is connected through a suction conduit 47 to the comp'ression chamber to which it'con-x mots in the vicinity of the lower bear1ng'l7.

-collected in a lubricant levels such as indicated at 26, and 43 res coil'29-is connected to a passes inside of. the reing chamber The fluid is then drawn upwardly th i ougha hollow portion 48 of the shaft 112, the hollow portion 48 communicating through radially disposed holes-49 with a passage51' connect-' mg with the inlet of the compressor 11.

Lubricant is supplied to the upper bearing 18 and the compressor 11 by'mea'ns of an inverted tube 52 which connects the upper portion of the bearing 18 with the lowenportion of'the receptacle 22. y The lubricant is sup: plied to the intermediate bearing19 by a conduit 53 and a passage 54. Lubricant discharged from the intermediate bearing'19 is ar'rester 55 which is drained through radially disposed holes 56 to the hollow portion 48 of the shaft12.

Electrical'energy is supplied to the motor vided in the lower cover plate 16.

The operation of the above embodiment'of my invention is as follows: I Assuming the refrigerating machine to be m o fille the expansion chamber 37 ofthe evaporator is completely filled and the receptacle 22 as well as the surge tank' 42 are filled to tively with a body of liqui working uid. The liquid working fluid w ichjI refer to employ consists of a refrigerant an cant which together .form a hysical solution separable only by vaporlzation andis disclosed in my October 11, 1927, and entitled Working fluid for refrigeration.

The action of a pressure sufiiciently low in the expansion .chamber 37 of the evaporator to induce vaporization of the liquid workingfluid contained therein. In the vaporization procem,

heat is absorbed from the interior of the refrigerator box 10-and from the non-conge'alable liquid contained. inthe freezing chamber 38. As most operate only intermittently in' response to the temperature prevailing within the refrig-' erator box, an evaporator of the form trated possesses numerous advanta es. is absorbed from theinterior oft e refrigerator box directly through the 'outerwalls of the expansion chamber, thus" insuring excellent heat conduction. On the other hand, the ice molds 41 are'disposedwithinthe fleet-V 38 which contains a substantial body of non-congealableliquid having a-cold storage capacity sufiicient to prevent melting of the, ice duringthe idle periods of the ma- 7 chine. In other words, the refrigerator box is cooled-by the direct'methodwhile'ice is formed by the indirect method, thus providing ideal conditions for maintainin the box at a low temperature and for menu domestic refrigerating machines 13 through fluid tight in'su at'ed plugs 57 proration, the float valve 37 is partially? Patent No. 1,645,198 issued I the compressor 11 maintains illusr- 1 Heat x acturing l and maintaining amaximumquantity of ice.

Because of'the aperture 46, which is provided in the outlet conduit-J14 within the 11. In its passage it absorbs a portion of the heat generated by the motor, The refrigerant vapor is discharged from the com-- pressor through the. conduit 24 and impinged against the upper cover plate 15. The liquid working fluid, which consists of a refrigerant and a lubricant and which has been entrained in the refrigerant vapo'r leaving the surge tank 42, materially assists in lubricating and sealing the compressor in passing therethrough. This novel method of en-' traininga refrigerant and lubricating liquid in the refrigerant vapor passing to the compressor is disclosed in my Patent No. 1,656,917 issued January 24,-'1928, for refrigeration.

As stated heretofore, the refrigerant vapor discharged by the compressor is impinged against the upper cover plate 15 and the entrained liquid falls downwardly into the receptacle 22. The liquid collecting in the receptacle 22 is-therefore subjected to the heat generated by the compressor as well as to some of the heat generated by the motor and this heat is utilized to vaporize oif the refrigerant component leaving a body of liquid in the receptacle which is substantially a lubricant. ncidentally, the heat-generated by the compressor as well as some of the heat generated by the motor is absorbed. This novel method of producing a lubricating fluid and of cooling the compressor and the motor is disclosedin my Patent No. 1,719,807 issued July 2, 1929, for refrigerator; i

The refrigerant vapors discharged through the conduit 24 as Well as the vapors generated in the distillation process taking place in the receptacle 22 leave the compression chamber through the outlet 27 and enter the condensing coil 29. Heat is then absorbed by the water which is circulated through the cooling coil 33 and condensation of the refrigerant vapor is thus effected. The condensing coil and thecooling coil are so arranged that the refrigerant vapor dissipates heatboth to the surrounding atmosphere as well as to the water in the coil. The cooling water is referably circulated upwardly through t e coil in order to obtain the well known advantages of the contraflow principle. Any excess lubricating fluid which may accumulate in the receptacle 22- overflows through the condu1t30 and commingles with the condensed refrigerant in the conduit 35. This liquid drains downwardly 1 and u on 'sufiicient accumulation thereof in the c amber of the float valve 37, the latter opens to permit the liquid to pass into the expansion chamber 37 of the evaporator 36. Heat is then absorbed from the interioi of the refrigerator box and ice is formed in the molds 41 in the manner heretofore described.

Segregation of the lubricating liquid within the expansion chamber 37 is prevented by the constant entrainment of liquid in the aperture 46 so that there is a constant circulation of liquid working fluid, consisting of condensed refrigerant and lubricating liquid, through the expansion chamber. This entrained liquid, in being drawn upwardly to the inlet of the compressor 11, lubricates the lower bearing 17 in its passage besides assisting in lubricating'and sealing the compressor in passing therethrough.

Lubrication of the upper bearing 18 is eflected by the passage of .the lubricating fluid contained in the receptacle 22 through the invertedtube 52. The liquid entering the upper bearng 1'8 lubricates the 'same and then drains downwardl into the compressor wherein it assists t e'entrained liquid passing through the compressor in sealing and lubricating the workin parts. Circulation of lubricant through -t e upper bearing 18 and through the compressor is induced by the difference in pressure prevailing between the receptacleand the interior of the compressor.

Lubrication of the intermediate bearing 19 is effected by the lubricant which drains downwardly through the conduit 53 and pasloo sage 54 to the bearing. The lubricant dis- I charged from thisbearing is collected in the lubricant arrester 55 from whence it drains through the radially disposed holes 56 to the lubricating liquid, like the liquid which has passed through the aperture 46 in the surge.

tank, is entrained in the refrigerant 'vapor passing to the inlet of the compressor and assists in sealing and lubricating the same.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have invented a refrigerating machine which is especially adapted for domestic use in that it contains'a minimum number of working parts and is very compactly arranged. This compactness is derived by directly connecting the compressor to the motor and by housing both the motor and compressor in a common chamber so that the condensing element may be, what might betermed, wrapped around this chamber.

While I have described my form of refrigerator as being preferably water cooled, my apparatus is so arranged that air may be readily utilized to condense the refrigerant vapor. l

While I have shown my invention in one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes'and modifications, without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore,,that only such limitations shallbe placed thereupon as are im posed by the prior art, or as are specifically i set forth in the appended claims.

" nation of an evaporator,

What I claim is 2-- ducting relation therewith, said coil encompassin the greater portion of the outer surface 0 the casing.

2. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combia compressor, a mo v tor for driving the compressor, a fluid tight casingenclosing both the motor and the compressor, a division wall provided in the easing between the compressor and the motor j and forming a single compartment for housing the compressor and-tor retaining a body of lubricant for the compressor and another compartment for housing the motor, and a condensing element separate from and disposed around the casing.

nation of an evaporator,

3. In a refrigeratlng apparatus, the combination of an evaporator, a compressor, a motor for driving the compressor, and a' fluid tightcasing entirely enclosin both the compressor and the motor, said fIuid tight casingbeing provided with two separate closures for permitting access to the motor and to the compressor respectively,- 7

4. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combip a. compressor; a mo tor, for driving, the compressor, a cylindrical 'casing e1itirely enclosing'both the motor and the compressor, and aremovable fluid tight, closure provided in each end of the cylinder for permitting access to the motor and to the compressor, respectively.

'5. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combination of an evaporator, a fluid tight enclosing casing, and a compressor and a. motor for driving the compressor disposedwithin the casing said fluid tight casing being provided with a removable closure for permitting ac cess to the motor and a-seeond and oppositely disposed removable closure=for permittingaecess to the compressor tight casing enclosing A bination of an evaporator,

6 .In a refrlgerating apparatus, the coina compressor, a motor for driving" the compressor, a fluid" both the compressor and the'motpr, separate closures providedin I i the casing for permitting access to the'motor and thecompressor respectively, and a conthe? motor and the compressor,

(sides thereof, one of enclosing both the motor denser disposedexteriorly of and around the enclosing casing.

7. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combination of an evaporator, a fluid tight casin, a compressor and a motor for driving the compressor disposed within the casing, said motor embodying rotating and stationary elements and having its stationary element supported directly in the walls of the enclosing casing, whereby the heat generated by the motor is radiated directly through the walls of the enclosing casing, and a condenser locategl exteriorly of and surrounding the enclosing casing.

8. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combination of an evaporator, a fluid tight casing, a compressor and a motor for driving the compressor disposed within the casing, said enclosing casing embodying removable end closures for permitting access to the motor and to the compressor respectively and said motorembodying rotating and stationary elements and having its stationary element supported directly in the walls of the enclosing casing, whereby the heat generated by the motor is radiated directly through the walls of the enclosing casing, and a condenser located exterior-1y of and surrounding the enclosing casing.

9. In a refrigeratingapparatus, the combi-. nation of an evaporator, a condenser, a compressor, a motor for driving the compressor, and a fluid-tight casingentirely enclosing said casing embodying an intermediate member and removable members secured at opposite sides thereof, one ofi said removable members bein arranged to permit access tothe motor an the other of said removable members being arranged to permit aecess'to the compressor; 1 10. Ina refrigeratingapparatus, the combination ofan evaporating element, a condensingelement, a compressor, a motor for driving the compressor, a fluid-tight casing enclosing both the motor and the compressor, saidcaslng having an'intermediate member andremovable members secured. at opposite said removable members being arranged to permit access to the motor and the other of saidremovable members be; ing arranged to permit accessto the compressor, and cohduit 'means connectedito the intermediate member condensing element. a I

11.- In a refrigerating apparatus, the combination. of an evaporating element, a condensing element, a compressor, a motor for afluld-tight casing M driving, the compressor,

and the compressor, said casing havingan intermediate member and removable members secured at opposite sides thereof; one of said removable members beingarranged to permit adc'ess'to the motor and the other'oi said removable members for providing com- T inunication betweenthe compressor and the 0 being arranged to permit access to the compressor, and conduit means connected to the intermediate member for providing communication between the casing and the evaporating element; F 12. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combination of an evapora ting element, a condensing element, a compressor, a motor for v driving the compressor, a fluid-tight casing enclosing both the motor and the-compressor, saidcasmg having an intermediate member and removable members secured at opposite sides thereof, one of said removable members being arranged to permit access'to the motor and the other of said removable members being arranged to permit access to the compressor, and conduit means connected to the intermediate member for providing communication between the casing and the evaporating and condensing elements.

13. In a refrigerating apparatus, the com-' bination of an evaporator, a compressor, a. motor for driving the compressor, a fluidtight casing entirely enclosing both the motor and the compressor, and a condensing element separate from anddisposed around, the casin in physical thermal-conducting rela-' tion t ereto. I g A 14. In a refrigerating apparatus, thecombination of an evaporator, a condenser "a motor for driving the compressor, a flui -tight casing entirely enclosing both the motor and compressor and partition means provided interiorly of the casing and forming with theas easing a compartment for housing the motor and a second and single compartment for both housing the compressorand for storing lubricant, said motor and compressor being on opposite sides of the partition means with 40 the compressorfsupported entirely by said means, and a drive s aft connecting sa1d motor directly. with the compressor and passing through said means whereby the com ressor is driven atfsnbstantially motor spec In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subslgiiged my name this 5th day of October,- ANDREW A; 

